(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)
Back to school shopping is in full swing! Whether you are sending your kids to a brick and mortar school or plan on homeschooling them this year, you will more than likely need to purchase some new school supplies and other items. I have several tips and a price point list that will be helpful during this time. Many families are already stressed out enough these days over our current situation, so the last thing that we need to be thinking about is back to school shopping.
Here are a few tips and ideas to help you put together a Back to School Shopping plan:
Tax Free Shopping Days-
Check your local state to see when/if they are participating. Here in the state of Florida, we can take advantage August 7-9. Participating items include:
- Clothing, footwear, and certain accessories selling for $60 or less per item
- Certain school supplies selling for $15 or less per item
- Personal computers and certain computer-related accessories selling for $1,000 or less per item, when purchased for noncommercial home or personal use.
Take advantage of student discounts-
Best Buy offers exclusive student deals. Just go their website and sign up under the Student Deals page. As an example, you can get a set of Jabra Wireless Earbuds for $20 with the purchase of a chrome book of $299 or more.
Apple is offering a free pair of AirPods with the purchase of a MacBook or iPad.
Amazon offers a Free 6 month trial of Amazon Prime to College Students. After the 6 month trial you will receive 50% off the regular monthly price. You will also receive student-only discounts and offers.
Technology Deals-
This year with more families homeschooling, the cost of back to school shopping is supposed to be at the highest it has been in years. According to the National Retail Federation, the average family will spend over $789 per child this year! This is due to many people having to buy new computers and accessories to go with them. Best Buy currently has an ASUS – 11.6″ Chromebook for $189. That is a super deal considering most stores are already sold out of the better deals on chromebooks and laptops. All of the stores will be competing for the best prices so be sure to shop around. Some stores may even offer a price match so be sure to ask!
Drive Up/Pick Up or Free Shipping with No Minimum- One of my biggest tips for Back to School Shopping 2020 is to utilize Free Drive-Up pick up options and Free Shipping when possible. Stores like Target and Walmart both offer Free Order Online and Drive Up Pick up. You never even have to step foot in the the store. Some stores will even offer an extra discount if you use this service. Staples is currently offering Free Shipping with no minimum purchase. Between these options and the sales, I got both of my boys school supplies for around $50! The best part? I never stepped inside a store!
Get the most bang for your buck- Even if you are shopping from the convenience of your home this year, I still suggest shopping around at different stores to find the best deals. Be aware though, that some stores do have product limits on how many items that you can purchase at one time. In this case, you may need to do several transactions.
Coupons are still alive and well- I have noticed several coupons both online and in the Sunday newspaper for school supply items. Don’t be afraid to utilize those to help you maximize your budget even more.
School clothes closet sales- Check to see if your kid’s school has a closet sale of uniforms and other items that have been left behind. I just bought my boys’ uniform shirts and jackets (their school has a required logo shirt) that were in like-new condition for only $5 each! My oldest son’s school did a virtual closet sale so we didn’t even have to leave the house.
Stack the savings! This is probably one of my biggest tips for ways that you can save on school supplies. When you stack store promotional offers, coupons and money-saving apps with discounts and rewards you can save BIG! And, don’t forget at places like Target you will save an extra 5% off when you use your Target REDcard! If you don’t have a Target REDcard, consider shopping with a credit card that will earn you cash back or points. Apps like Fetch Rewards allow you to scan your receipt (even online purchases) and to get points for your purchases. Those points can then be redeemed for gift cards and cash.
Masks/Hand Sanitizer/Essentials- This year looks a lot differently in more ways than one. If you are sending your child back to school, masks are more than likely to be required, and the other essentials like Hand Sanitizer and Disinfectant Wipes will be vital. I would suggest that you shop around for the best prices for these items. I would say that the Hand Sanitizer, Medical Masks, and Wipes can be hard-to-come by so when you see a deal on Amazon or the store, buy then. For the best deal on masks, I would suggest Target. They have a 2-count pack for kids and adults for just $4. Our family has these masks and we like them the best of all the ones that we have tried.
Know the price points of school supplies- and what you should be paying for those items. I have put together a list below of my price points for school supplies. You may be able to find these items even cheaper than I have posted. If you do, stock up!
Below is my list of price points for school supplies. You can view it here and download to print.
I hope that these tips were helpful as you navigate your Back to School Shopping for 2020!
Instructions
•Drain the fruit cocktail
•Pour all ingredients into a large mixing bowl
•Gently fold together
•Refrigerate at least 2 hours, until cold
•Gently stir and serve chilled
Servings: 4 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
